Tips on landing the front kick.

**Hackworth** · Posted On: 7/05/2012 8:27am

How am I supposed to set it up and how should I move in after it. Thanks..

**Devil** · Posted On: 7/05/2012 9:05am

I was taught a trick once that I eventually used all the time in sparring. I liked using it with punches and with kicks. It takes some practice, but I was able to use it to catch folks all the time with their face or body completely unguarded.

The idea was to use your eyes. Even if the other guy isn't focused on your eyes, they pick up where you're looking with their peripheral vision.

To land an open face shot - stare at their face. Then RIGHT before you move, shift your eyes to their gut and maybe even move your head down in that direction a little so it's obvious you're looking there. But throw the shot to their face while looking at their body. Many times they will move their hands down to protect their body and leave their face wide open.

Do the reverse to land a shot to the body. Stare at the body, look quickly up at their face as you move and go to the body while looking them in the face.

It may sound weird, but try it and see what you think.

**erezb** · Posted On: 7/05/2012 9:41am

I don't know your stile, but if you guys block front kicks mainly by raising your leg and lowering the elbows like in MT, than it can really hurt you if you dont flex back your tows and strike with the heal of your foot. This way worst case scenario you "push kick" the guy on his knee or elbows. After you feel comfortable enough to throw a front kick this way even if it is blocked hard you can start adding faints and angles. The front leg front kick should be like a jab, quick and accurate, while staying protected. Try practicing punching and than kicking, the jab or cross will "mask" the coming kick. You can keep your arm out stretched touching the guy's glove and lend a quick kick. He'll concentrate on that stretched arm and won't think of a kick coming. If you want some power in that kick you will need good hip work, you will need to rotate and thrust your hip and pelvic.

**Tameshiwhaty?** · Posted On: 7/05/2012 9:54am

Remember to lift your knee to about chest level it will give you range and power, pulls it's like a good crunch lol. and bend your leg back before you lift the knee, that just helps save your toes . At least that is how I was taught and it works pretty well for me.

**thrutch** · Posted On: 7/05/2012 9:59am

There's a vid by David Avellan that has some handy tips:

http://davidavellan.com/front-kick-speed/

***Tranquil Suit*** · Posted On: 7/05/2012 10:15am

Originally Posted by Devil

I was taught a trick once that I eventually used all the time in sparring. I liked using it with punches and with kicks. It takes some practice, but I was able to use it to catch folks all the time with their face or body completely unguarded.

The idea was to use your eyes. Even if the other guy isn't focused on your eyes, they pick up where you're looking with their peripheral vision.

To land an open face shot - stare at their face. Then RIGHT before you move, shift your eyes to their gut and maybe even move your head down in that direction a little so it's obvious you're looking there. But throw the shot to their face while looking at their body. Many times they will move their hands down to protect their body and leave their face wide open.

Do the reverse to land a shot to the body. Stare at the body, look quickly up at their face as you move and go to the body while looking them in the face.

It may sound weird, but try it and see what you think.

Hehehe, it works well on novices and beginners. Better players, not so much. As soon as they spot fake eyes they rush in with a power shot (or combo or clinch or takedown etc).

But it is a good trick, try not to have a sneaky asshole grin right before you do it :)

**Devil** · Posted On: 7/05/2012 10:33am

Originally Posted by Tranquil Suit

Hehehe, it works well on novices and beginners. Better players, not so much. As soon as they spot fake eyes they rush in with a power shot (or combo or clinch or takedown etc).

But it is a good trick, try not to have a sneaky asshole grin right before you do it :)

Yeah, you don't want to go to that well too many times with the same person for sure.

**TheMightyMcClaw** · Posted On: 7/06/2012 4:23am

I find there are some people who I can land and infinite number of front kicks on, and people who I can't land a single one on. As far as setups go, I generally hide it under a 1-2, much like I would with a round kick to the body. The jab-cross-switchstep front kick has served me really well against some people; you switch your hips while you're throwing the cross, and you can deliver a pretty big body shot pretty sneakily.

**thrutch** · Posted On: 7/06/2012 4:38am

Maybe an obvious one, but the front kick's a lot easier to land against people who don't circle/work angles much. If you're sparring against someone who you notice is repeatedly coming straight in at you, the front kick can be a go-to shot. Snap it out and whip the ball of your foot into their solar plexus. This was an effective (and painful) recent reminder that I need to stop plodding forwards when tired.

**dwkfym** · Posted On: 7/06/2012 3:50pm

Originally Posted by Tranquil Suit

Hehehe, it works well on novices and beginners. Better players, not so much. As soon as they spot fake eyes they rush in with a power shot (or combo or clinch or takedown etc).

But it is a good trick, try not to have a sneaky asshole grin right before you do it :)

Or guys that don't look at opponent's eyes. I know its a minority but the schools I learned kickboxing from all taught to stare at chin area. This entirely removes trickery but at the same time completely makes you blind to reading your opponent's eyes.

to me its worked best when you throw it every once in a while, and just being less predictable. of course you have to be able to do it fast. If it isn't the fastest kick you got it won't work. It also won't work well if you load it up or wind up too much.